Gate Studios was one of the many studios known collectively as
Elstree Studios in the town of
Borehamwood
Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 36,322, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly know ...
, England. Opened in 1928, the studios were in use until the early 1950s. The studios had previously been known as Whitehall Studios, Consolidated Studios, J.H. Studios and M.P. Studios.
[Gate Studios]
, BFI Film & TV Database website, retrieved 17 Dec 2011
History
A single large stage was built in Station Road, Borehamwood, in 1928 by Whitehall Films Ltd, but the company was dissolved in 1930, and its studio sold to Audible Filmcraft, who, in turn, crashed in August 1932. Consolidated Film Studios took over the lease in November 1933, then Independent Producers Studios acquired the studio in July 1935. In November 1935,
Julius Hagen, the owner of
Twickenham Studios
Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...
, bought the site and formed a new company, J.H. Studios.
Financial problems forced Hagen to sell the studios to M.P. Productions in 1937. The studios were acquired by the Anglo-American Film Corporation in September 1938.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the studio was used by the government for storage.
In 1950, the site was bought by
J. Arthur Rank, who renamed it Gate Studios and made religious films. The last film produced was ''
John Wesley
John Wesley ( ; 2 March 1791) was an English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a principal leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies ...
'' in 1954,
and the site was sold to Andrew Harkness, a manufacturer of cinema screens. Harkness Screens moved out of the site in 2004 having established a global manufacturing base in France and
the US and relocated its UK operation to a new production facility in Stevenage. The building in Borehamwood was demolished in 2006 to make way for 133 new properties, the development being named Gate Studios in homage to the former site.
Final curtain falls at the historic Gate Studios
, ''Watford Observer'', 9 February 2006
Films shot at the studios
Whitehall Studios
The following films were shot at Whitehall Studios.
J.H. Studios
The following films were shot at J.H. Studios.
M.P. Studios
The following films were shot at M.P. Studios.
Gate Studios
The following films were shot at Gate Studios.
See also
* :Films shot at Station Road Studios, Elstree
* Lists of productions shot at the other Elstree studios:
** List of films and television shows shot at Elstree Studios
** List of films and television shows shot at Clarendon Road Studios
**
** List of films shot at MGM-British Studios, Elstree
**
References
External links
Elstree Screen Heritage
"Creating a record of The Gate Studios"
DVD, at Elstree Screen Heritage
*
The Gate Studios
at the Elstree and Boreham Wood Museum website
{{Cinema of the United Kingdom
British film studios
Film production companies of the United Kingdom
Borehamwood
Demolished buildings and structures in Hertfordshire
Buildings and structures demolished in 2006
History of Hertfordshire